May 2014

05/22/14

Altering his bid for the governor's mansion, Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti will instead petition to get on the ballot as a lieutenant governor.
Lauretti, who did not receive enough delegates to automatically primary for the Republican nominee for governor at the GOP convention last weekend, told the Secretary of State's office he will petition for a spot as lieutenant governor. Lauretti enters an already crowded race of candidates. State Rep. Penny Bacchiochi earned the party's nomination at the convention Saturday, while former U.S. Comptroller David Walker and former Groton Mayor Heather Somers receive enough delegates to enter the primary.

05/22/14

Republican candidate for Lt. Gov. Heather Somers has dumped her unofficial running mate, choosing to instead qualify for the state's public finance grant herself and enter the Republican primary.
Somers, the former Mayor of Groton and current member of the town council, had paired up with Republican candidate for governor and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton. The two planned to pool their money to qualify for a public grant from the state.
Both Boughton and Somers received enough delegates to qualify for the Republican primary last weekend. The primary will be held on August 12.
“My decision to pursue a primary for the office of Lieutenant Governor on my own is a reflection of my support at the State Republican Convention at which I won nearly 1/3 of the...

05/20/14

In front of more than 50 supporters in a packed American Legion hall Monday, Branford resident Ted Kennedy Jr. was officially nominated as the Democratic candidate in the race for the 12th District state Senate seat.

05/17/14

The road to unseat Dannel Malloy is now forked with at least three paths, as the Republican Party’s nomination process yielded a nominee, and two other candidates vowing to primary.
Tom Foley, who topped the ticket in 2010, secured the party’s nomination again. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and state Sen. John McKinney both secured enough delegates to qualify for the August 12 primary.
Foley secured 57 percent of the delegates; Boughton received support from 22 percent and McKinney earned support from 17 percent of the delegates at the convention.
Although his win was contested, Foley still remains the Republican front runner to take on Malloy in the fall.
“Connecticut wants for a more promising direction under smarter policies and more competent...

05/17/14

Republican delegates filed into the Mohegan Sun convention center Saturday searching for the perfect pairing to take down incumbent Gov. Dannel Malloy.
Most of the Republican candidates are hoping to get at least 15 percent of the 1,253 delegates to qualify for a primary, as 2010 GOP nominee Tom Foley is widely expected to get the party nomination today, securing at least 50 percent of the delegates.
According to the latest Quinnipiac University Poll, the potential re-match between Foley and incumbent Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has been tied in the last two polls. Foley has been the front-runner for the party in the polls as far out as a year before the election.
Republicans have billed the convention as “Connecticut’s comeback” hoping to make Malloy a...

05/16/14

Hours before delegates cast their vote for candidates for the state’s leading elected offices, State Sen. John McKinney, R-Fairfield, and former U.S. Comptroller David Walker pooled their talents and delegates to announce they would run together as a team, touting themselves as the team to fix Connecticut’s economy.

05/16/14

Controversy and courting ruled the day as politicians and delegates angled to name the two top Republicans on the party’s November slate at the Republican convention Friday.
The controversy came in the form of a false allegation of racism made by Lt. Gov. candidate Penny Bacchiochi lodged against fellow Lt. Gov. candidate David Walker.
Bacchiochi, a state representative, said that candidates within her own party were making an issue out of her mixed family, and in follow-up comments said Walker’s campaign was running a “whisper campaign” with the disparaging comments about her family.
Bacchiochi eventually backed away from her comment. Bacchiochi and Walker’s camp issued a joint statement, with Bacchiochi apologizing and rescinding the...

05/16/14

Mark Greenberg sailed to his party’s nomination Friday night thrusting him into a battle against Democrat Elizabeth Esty for the state’s fifth Congressional district.
Greenberg takes on a candidate in Esty, that many political observers consider the most vulnerable Democrat among the Connecticut Congressional caucus.
“We all deserve better than a broken economy and a dysfunctional government that taxes, spends and borrows too much. I believe in this great country that has given my family and me so much-- and I know with the right leadership in Congress we can get our country and our economy back on track and secure a better future,” Greenberg said. “But to accomplish the change we must change our course. We have to revese our nation’s...